Finding Love in a Hopeless Place
by Rejected Insanity
Summary: Carlos hates falling, because he hates to be hurt. But, he can't prevent it when his best friend is the subject of his affection. So, how will this end? Read and Review
1. The problem is stated

**Hello, reader. I was skimming through the Cargan stories, and noticed the lack of multi-chap stories, so I decided to write one, as it's my first work of literature on fanfiction. Okay, then, enough of my mindless words, it's reading time! (Sorry, I'm trying out different catchphrases)**

Carlos Garcia was falling too fast and too far. He had a fear of getting hurt and he knew that was the only thing that could come of it. His friends had always told him that he didn't have to hide his feelings, but he didn't have the heart to burden them with this.

To elaborate, he had a painful crush on his best friend, Logan. Logan was the smartest one of the group and Carlos had fallen for him the moment they met. Not just a small, easy to forget about crush. Nope, it was a full blown weak-kneed, heart-near-exploding, almost-over-bearing crush. It wasn't bad at first, but it slowly got worse until it clouded his mind and that's all he could think about.

A lot of things were racing through Carlos' mind as he quickly locked himself in the bathroom connected to his and Logan's shared room. He somehow made it to the shower and turned it on before he broke down into tears. This was happening too often, Carlos thought. He was having yet another emotional breakdown over something as ridiculous as a crush.

He closed his eyes and rocked back and forth as he murmured, "It's okay. It has to be."

"Carlos? Are you okay?" He heard Logan's voice from the other side of the door. "You pretty much bolted to the bathroom, so I just wanted to make sure you're not sick or something."

Carlos took a deep, shaky breath, hoping it would keep him from sounding like he was crying. "Y-yeah, I'm good! Just...really wanting to take a shower!"

"Umm, okay buddy, but if you start feeling bad, let me know, okay?"

"Duh, you're the doctor! Now, leave and let me shower in peace."

He faintly heard Logan's laugh, and his heart swelled almost painfully. "Yeah, yeah, whatever dude."

He sighed and stood up shakily. He gritted his teeth as he mustered up the strength to stand up, as he had somehow ended up in the floor, a shaking mess. His eyes looked normal, somehow, which surprised him. He sighed and pulled off his shirt so he could take a shower.

_***One shower later***_

He walked out of the bathroom, wrapped in a towel. He proceeded to his dresser with a blank expression pulling out a pair of boxers and a T-shirt. He just finished getting dressed when James entered the room. "Carlos? Are you okay?" He sounded concerned.

"I'm fine." Carlos replied with his voice cracking on the last word. He desperately hoped James would see through his disguise and help him.

There was a silence. "You don't sound okay. Look, I know something's up, you haven't been yourself lately."

"I-I just..." He turned around and tears began to form in his eyes.

James quickly ran over and pulled the smaller boy in his arms. "Carlos..." he said softly in the smaller boy's ear. He led him to the latino's bed and sat down with him. "What's wrong?"

"IthinkIloveLogan!" he said quickly, relieved to tell someone, but it felt different to say it out loud. It was like he was finally admitting it to himself.

"It's okay." he said pulling back slightly to look into the timid boy's eyes. "You need to tell him how you feel."

"I can't! He'd hate me!" Carlos cried in a panicked tone.

James held him tighter. "Logan wouldn't hate you. He's not like that. You need to tell him before you tear yourself apart."

Carlos looked at him cautiously. "A-Are you sure?"

"Yes. How could Logan hate someone as amazing as you?" James said then bit his lip, afraid he'd said too much.

The latino's eyes showed he was thinking, then something clicked. "J-James. Do you..."

The door opened before he could finish his question and Logan stood in the doorway. "Car-" he stopped mid-sentence as he stared at the two boys. "Should I- Am I interrupting something here?"

"N-No." Carlos replied glancing at James. "I just..." he looked at James again and the taller boy nodded. Carlos didn't know he was shaking until he stood up and almost fell over.

Logan rushed to his side. "Carlos!" The struggling boy looked at James helplessly and he nodded. They sat down on the bed.

"I-I'm gonna leave you two alone." James gave Carlos a reassuring smile and left.

The raven-haired boy looked at Carlos and asked, "What's going on? Are you okay?"

He winced and hesitated before shaking his head.

"Please, tell me what's wrong. I hate to see you like this."

"I'm..." he mumbled the rest and Logan scrunched his eyebrows together.

He leaned closer to the obviously distraught boy. "What did you say."

He sighed and spoke slightly louder. "I'm gay and..." his voice trailed off, but he took a deep breath. _Here goes everything, _he thought to himself. "I like you. A lot. And, I'm sorry, but I can't help it. Please don't hate me. I couldn't stand it if you hated me."

Logan stared at Carlos in shock before murmuring, "I have to go, sorry." and quickly exiting the room.

Carlos stared at the door in disbelief as tears began streaming down his face. He pulled back the covers and shimmied under them as he curled into a ball and wept silently.

**I hate to end on such a sad note, but it was too perfect to pass up! *raises hands in defense* Don't kill me, or I won't be able to finish the story! Okay, so, tell me your thoughts and/or complaints about this chapter in the comments. I'm happy to hear constructive criticism if it helps improve my writing. R+R**

***E.M.***


	2. Carlos, James and a razor blade

**Hello, readers and a merry holidays to you! First of all, I would like to thank those who have read this and I never expected so many people to like this, since this is my first story. I probably shouldn't be so cheery while I'm writing this, but I can't help it! Alright then, allow me to stop my boring chatter. Hope you like it!**

The next few days were a blur of pain to Carlos. In that time, the misery-stricken boy could only watch as Logan drifted away from him. He even started bunking with Kendall, his excuse being, "You probably hate the amount of books in your room, so I'm doing you a favor." Carlos knew the real reason.

Logan hated him. That was the only explanation that came to his mind. He forced the smart boy away from him with his confession. He didn't have to tell him. He didn't have to tell anyone. That could've been the one secret he took to his grave, yet he trusted too much. He went too far and he knew it.

Carlos stared at the ceiling with an absolutely dull expression. He had simply given up trying to be cheerful, when everything was wrong. The world had slipped out from under his feet and no one knew. He hadn't even told the only person who knew about his crush, James.

Carlos stood up and trudged to the bathroom. He glanced behind him once he got to the door. There was no chance James would be back soon, because this was prime tanning time. He turned back to the bathroom door, took a deep breath and pulled it open. He stepped inside and locked the door behind him, proceeding to the sink.

He was startled by his eyes, despite his fear, they showed silent determination. He was really going to do this, because he couldn't back down now. He opened the medicine cabinet and rummaged around until his hand clamped over the slim object.

The razor glinted maliciously in his palm as he stared at it. He turned it over a few times before bringing it to his wrist, then he stopped. _What if I die? _He thought to himself. "No one will miss me." He answered out loud, colder than ice. He sighed and a tear rolled down his cheek.

The blade stayed in place on his wrist, too close to a major vein for comfort. It seemed to dare him, challenging his strength to cut himself. But, could he? He had told himself time and time again that he could, but now... he just didn't know.

He was startled by a door opening then closing. "Carlos? Are you here?" His eyes widened and he jumped at the sound of the voice, causing him to drop the razor. He stared down at it and tears filled his eyes. He sunk down to the floor beside the blade and curled into a ball. He cried and disregarded the knocking he heard from the other side of the locked door. "Carlos! Answer me!" there was no response.

Carlos crawled to the door and unlocked it. He had no reason to do so, but if James couldn't open the door, he would've busted it down. The door opened and the pretty stood in the doorway, still wearing his swimming trunks. He looked panicked. "Carlos!" he yelled dropping beside the weeping boy, opposite to the razor blade.

"Are you okay? Tell me what happened. Please calm down." he said softly in Carlos' ear. He had pulled the small boy towards him and enveloped him in a hug. He spotted the razor blade on the floor and a wave of despair washed over him. "Carlos... D-Did you..."

Carlos looked up at James with a pained expression. Tears were streaming from his eyes. He knew what James was referring to. He shook his head. "I'm too w-weak. I couldn't do it." He started crying harder and he buried his face into James' chest.

"Come here. Let's get you out of the floor." James said carefully, as if saying the wrong thing would set the broken boy off. He picked him up and led him to his bed. He set Carlos down on the bed and pulled away. "I'll be right back. Stay here." He walked away hesitantly.

James walked through the open door and picked up the razor, placing it on the sink. He left and shut the door, quickly crossing the room to get a shirt from his dresser, put it on, then proceed to sit next to Carlos. The said boy was watching him the whole time with a strangely childlike quality for someone who had tried to cut themselves. James wrapped his arms around Carlos without saying a word.

Carlos only turned his head to bury it in James' chest. They stayed like that for a few minutes before James spoke up cautiously. "Why did you do it?"

The smaller boy felt a pang of guilt. There was so much pain and fright in James' eyes. "It- It just hurt soo much, Jamie. I couldn't stand knowing that Logan hated me. And I thought... I thought no one would miss me if something went wrong... If I died a-and I thought I could do it, but... I-I couldn't... Please, don't hate me, too."

The pretty boy was shocked at those words. He thought Logan hated him? That no one would miss him? "Carlos... Logan doesn't hate you, he just needs some time to adjust and..." he swallowed hard. Carlos was watching him with a blank expression. "I could never hate you, Carlos, because... because I love you and if you died, I wouldn't have a reason to live. Please believe me."

Now, it was the latino's turn to be shocked. James loved him? "James..." he breathed out before the taller boy leaned down and kissed his cheek, afraid to go any farther. Carlos gave a surprised squeak in response. "D-Do you really... Love me?" the last two words echoed in his head as if he he had spoken in a large cave instead.

"Y-Yes. Do you... feel anything for me?"

He blinked. Did he? The entire time he was falling for Logan, he was oblivious to the fact that someone felt that way for him... Awkward, short, Carlos. And of all people, it was the one boy who could make any girl fall for him at the drop of a hat, but he chose Carlos.

"Look, I know you still like Logan, but... Could you give us a chance?" James asked hopefully, still holding the smaller boy in his arms. Carlos smiled shyly and nodded. He wrapped his arms around James and buried his face into the latter's chest, but he caught the immediate goofy smile plastered to his lips.

**So, one question should be answered. Question: Did James like Carlos? Answer: Oh, yes. Yes he did. But, there is another question. How will this relationship work out? Can Carlos let go of his previous crush? Or will he continue to fall for the raven-haired device of torture? Now that I've put those thoughts in your mind, Happy holidays!**

***E.M.***


	3. Nightmare and a date

**Hello, readers. I hope some of your questions are answered in this chapter and recently, I found out, that I have no idea how long this story will be. I usually just write until it seems fit and I was surprised my brain came up with so many words. _ (Haha funny face) Anywho, I will let you read now.**

_Carlos was standing on the edge of a cliff with his back to the drop and he was face-to-face with Logan. The raven-haired boy was grinning, only inches from Carlos' face. He wished the smart boy would quit teasing and just kiss him already. But, instead of their lips meeting, he felt himself being forcibly pushed off the edge by, none other than, Logan._

_He tried to grab Logan's hand, begging him to stop him from tumbling to his death. But, his expression was stone-cold as he watched the scared boy fall._

_He couldn't stop himself. He tried to scream for James, but no sound would come out. He noticed that it was getting darker. He was slowly getting swallowed by the darkness and he could do nothing to stop it. The darkness continued to creep up on him and he heard a voice, "I will never-"_

"-love you." Logan said from his place on the cliff.

Carlos woke up in a cold sweat and panting. The nightmare was fading from his memory, though it had clashed so well with reality in the last seconds. While he was in it, the nightmare seemed so real. The colors, the voice... He shuddered. Especially the voice.

He panicked and looked over at James' bed. He saw a lump that he assumed was James. There was no way he could go to sleep by himself, now. He wondered if the taller boy would mind if he slipped in next to him... Probably not, Carlos figured.

He glanced around, then nervously sat up. It was dark, but there was a glimmer of light from the clock next to his bed, casting a blue glow over his bed. He looked over and saw it was 3 in the morning. He groaned quietly and threw his covers off of him. A shiver ran down his spine from the sudden cold that hit his bare chest.

Slowly, he stood up and walked across the room to James' bed. He stopped at the edge and made a motion to tap James' shoulder then hesitated. What if he got mad for being woken up so early? He sighed and the lump that was James shifted.

Carlos stopped breathing for a moment and James stopped moving. After a few moments of debate, he reached out and shook James' shoulder.

He made a small noise then turned over groggily. "Hm?"

"C-Can I sleep with you tonight?" Carlos asked timidly.

"Wha-? Oh, yeah, sure." He replied backing closer to the wall. The latino pulled back the covers and slid in next to him. He made a small surprised noise when he felt James' arms wrap around his waist, instantly warming him. He felt a sense of security, lying here with James.

Maybe, it wasn't Logan who he should've been with this whole time... "Did you have a bad dream?" the pretty boy's voice startled him.

"Uh huh." Carlos replied. "I couldn't go back to sleep on my own... That probably sounds childish."

"No, it doesn't. I'm glad I have an excuse to hold you, now." he said happily and Carlos could hear the tired smile in his voice.

A smile crept onto the smaller boy's face as he closed his eyes. The broken puzzle of his mind clicked into place and it was clear. He was meant to be with James, not Logan.

_~The next morning~_

"Carlos... Wake up." he stirred and his eyes fluttered open. James' face greeted his with enthusiasm. "Morning."

Carlos made a small noise in the back of his throat and grinned sleepily. "Good morning."

"Did you sleep well after you crawled into bed with me?" he asked. He was beaming, but there was a touch of concern, to show that he cared.

"Yes. Thanks for letting me sleep with you." he said shifting so he was closer to him.

"No problem." He kissed Carlos' cheek and he giggled in reply. His expression became slightly nervous and he asked, "W-Would you go on a date with me?" he bit his lip and watched Carlos' eyes for some sort of response.

He nodded. "Sure. When?"

"It doesn't matter to me... I kinda figured... Would tonight be okay?"

He chuckled a little at that. "Yeah. That'd work."

Relief flooded back into James' face, replacing the uncertainty. "Okay, then."

Carlos rolled onto his back, though James didn't let him go. "What time is it?"

James looked over at the clock on the nightstand. "About... 9:30. Do you wanna go out there?"

He sighed. "Yeah, if you want to."

James nodded and Carlos sat up, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. He stood up and walked over to his dresser only to be stopped. James had stepped in front of him with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "I have an idea."

Carlos raised his eyebrow as James walked over to his dresser and pulled out a T-shirt and shorts. He tossed them to the confused boy, which only disoriented him further. "What? These are yours and it's obvious. These are your lucky shorts."

James nodded, still smiling. "Exactly. I want to see how cute you look in my clothes."

Carlos felt his cheeks burning, though it didn't show. He pulled on the shirt and shorts. He spun in a circle with a goofy grin. He struck a pose. "How do I look?"

"Amazing." James responded putting on some clothes as well. He grabbed Carlos' helmet from the nightstand and threw it to him. He caught is clumsily and put it on his head. "Go ahead. I'll meet you out there."

Carlos nodded and left. He walked into the kitchen, where Kendall and Logan sat at the table. Kendall took one look at Carlos and raised his eyebrow. "What are you wearing?"

"Clothes?" he responded questionably.

"No, I mean those look like James' shorts." Logan also looked confused, but there was another emotion that he couldn't quite place.

He crossed the kitchen to the refrigerator and opened it to look for the milk. "They are." he said absently.

There was a silence and Carlos pulled out the milk. He reached on top of the fridge and grabbed a box of cereal. He proceeded to the sink to find a bowl and spoon when Logan finally asked, "But, why are you wearing his clothes? Were yours dirty or something?"

"Nope." he walked back to the table with his breakfast. He ate a spoonful of the colorful cereal and noticed that the two were staring at him. "Um...? Why are you staring at me?"

James walked through the doorway and was instantly attacked with questions. Kendall looked at him. "Why is Carlos wearing your lucky shorts?"

He looked at the boy and silently asked, _Can I tell them?_ Carlos thought for a minute, then nodded. James walked up behind him and wrapped his arms around him. "Me and Carlos are kinda... dating." he said watching their expressions cautiously.

The two sat there, stunned. Something else was in Logan's eyes though. Was it pain? Carlos thought to himself. No, he hates me. It hit him like a brick. Logan _hates _me. Tears filled his eyes and he stood up. "I-I have to go." he mumbled and ran back to his room.

"Carlos..." Logan called. He ran after him.

**What will happen? Well, your guess is as good as mine. Will Logan apologize or just flat out tell him that he hates him? How will Carlos react? Will he attempt to cut himself again or can James keep him from doing so? Find out in the next chapter.**

***E.M.***


	4. Kiss and a crush

**First of all, I absolutely suck at titles. So, forgive me if they don't exactly match up. Okay, with that out of the way, this chapter will continue from the last and this will be more Logan-centric as well. So, enjoy!**

Carlos ran into his room and flopped down onto his bed, hiding his face in a pillow. Logan followed closely behind. "Carlos, please let me talk to you!" he shouted in a desperate attempt to capture the latino's attention, slamming the door for emphasis.

He lifted his face and turned it to Logan. "What? Do you just want to straight up tell me you hate me?" Carlos said with a vicious undertone with tears glistening in his eyes. "Go ahead. Tell me what I already know." Logan looked shocked but he stayed in place.

Logan swallowed hard. "No. I wanted to tell you that I'm okay with you liking me. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner."

It was Carlos' turn to be speechless. "W-What?"

"Carlos, I'm sorry. I'm sorry that you thought I hated you, but I don't I just... you're like a little brother to me and I thought if I backed off it'd go away..."

"What would?"

Logan was crying now. "I thought if I backed off a bit, things would be normal again. I've kind of had a crush on you, but I don't know. I don't think I could date you... Because, it just wouldn't feel right."

There was a silence. "Why?" he asked quietly.

"I told you. I think of you as a brother, not a boyfriend."

Carlos nodded. "Okay. As long as you don't hate me."

"I could never hate you." Logan replied. He walked over to Carlos and hugged him tightly. "I hope you and James are happy together."

"We are." Carlos replied with a fond smile.

Logan let him go. "Come on. Let's go back out there." Carlos nodded and stood up. He was glad that Logan didn't hate him, but he was hiding something. He just knew that Logan hadn't told him all of the truth and Carlos was right.

**Logan's POV**

Logan watched Carlos leave the room, following closely behind him. He was mentally kicking himself. He had a perfect chance to tell him exactly how he felt, but he just didn't have the courage. They walked into the kitchen and James was watching them uneasily, especially Logan.

Carlos flashed him that beautiful smile to reassure him. Logan felt a twinge of jealousy when Carlos walked over and sat in the chair next to him, taking his hand shyly. James smiled in return, but his eyes showed uncertainty when he glanced at Logan.

Logan gave a forced smile as he tried to seem cheerful. Though, he was anything but. He had probably just lost his chance to tell Carlos everything, but he seemed so happy now with James and he had a feeling James reciprocated those feelings. How could he just destroy a relationship? He knew James had liked him for some time now, even if he didn't tell anyone. It was quite obvious.

Was it that obvious Carlos liked him? If so, how could he miss it? That was like overlooking the elephant in the room unintentionally. He sat down next to Kendall and watched as the boy that should've been his ripped his heart into pieces purely by accident.

_~Later that day~_

Kendall and Logan lounged by the pool straight across from Carlos and James. He was still regretting his actions, but he hid it the best he could. It was harder than he expected. Every time he saw their fingers intertwined or James kissing the smaller boy's forehead, usually earning a giggle from the latter, his heart broke just a little.

But, as the day progressed, he noticed something odd. They hadn't shared a real kiss as far as Logan could tell. They would kiss each on the cheek or otherwise, but never the lips. _Maybe, they haven't had their first kiss yet,_ he thought. _Maybe, just maybe, I still have a chance._ He just had to somehow corner him before their date tonight and kiss him first.

There was just one problem: James. The two hardly went anywhere without each other and it would be tricky. He watched them interact for a while before Carlos said something and James nodded. He pulled his hand away and Carlos left.

Logan stood up automatically. This was his last-ditch attempt to make the sweet boy his. He told Kendall he had to use the bathroom and ran after Carlos. They met in the lobby and the latino smiled brightly. "Hey, Logie. What's up?"

He didn't say a word, but he grabbed Carlos' wrist and dragged him into a deserted hallway. "Logan? Seriously what are you-" He was cut off by Logan's lips on his. He made a small noise of protest, but he didn't push him away. His arms dangled at his side, but Logan's hand was on his cheek.

He poured every ounce of love into that kiss, but the other boy wasn't kissing back. He was only standing there awkwardly. When he pulled away Carlos continued to stand there, dumbstruck. "L-Logan." he finally uttered.

"Yes?" he replied slightly breathless, but casual nonetheless.

"What just happened?" he asked innocently. He looked confused to a point where he was tearing his mind to pieces trying to understand it.

"I cornered you and kissed you. I did it for a reason, if you weren't sure. I _do _like you Carlos. A lot. Look, I know you're with James, but I saw that you guys never kissed on the lips and I thought I had a chance... Was I right?" he asked hopefully.

Carlos sighed and shook his head. "I'm sorry, Logan, but you had your chance. I can't just leave James, because now you want me. It hurt like hell when I thought you didn't like me back, when I thought you hated me. James saved me. I'm sorry we had to go through this for me to realize that."

Logan nodded and swallowed the lump that was forming in his throat. "Yeah. I kind of figured that. Just promise me one thing."

"What?"

"Promise me that if you tell James about this... Don't let him kill me."

Carlos was startled into laughter by this request. "You're afraid of James?"

Logan nodded vigorously. "If he finds out I tried to win you over by kissing you before him, I won't survive."

Carlos nodded. "Alright and can I tell you something?"

"Anything." he replied eagerly.

He leaned forward and whispered in the pale boy's ear. "I'm not the only one who's had a crush on you for a while." He shifted his gaze to a blond-haired boy that Logan recognized as the leader of the band.

The lanky boy was wandering around the lobby, looking for Logan most likely. The raven-haired boy blinked. "K-Kendall likes me?" he said slowly. "Wow, I'm really bad at this."

"Well, go do something." Carlos said and walked away.

Logan stared after him and eventually turned his attention to Kendall. How could he miss half of the band having a crush on him? Honestly, it was getting ridiculous. He took the time to watch the boy. As long as he was in this hallway, he could watch Kendall all he wanted.

He'd never really looked at him. He was actually pretty good-looking once he thought about it. His blond hair reflected some of the sunlight and his bushy eyebrows were knitted together, making him look even better.

His personality was also excellent. He was strong-willed and he always stood up for his friends. He seemed to understand them the best and helped them with any problems that he could. Kendall turned around and saw Logan standing in the hall.

He smiled and jogged over. "Hey, Logan. I've been looking for you. Where have you been."

"Oh- uh. Just, you know, standing here. I kinda wanted to ask you a question..." he trailed off and suddenly became interested in the floor.

"Shoot."

"W-Would you go... on a date with me?" he mumbled just loud enough for Kendall to hear.

He looked up and saw the blond trying extremely hard to suppress a grin. "Yeah, of course. When?"

"Tonight, if you'd like." he said uneasily.

Kendall nodded and hesitated before kissing him on the forehead. "It's a date."

**Aww! Finally, I end on a happy note! But, questions still need to be answered. How will the boys' dates go? Find out in the next two chapters. I'll post one first, then the other. Have a good day.**

***E.M.***


	5. James and Carlos

**Hello, readers. I've decided to post the dates as if they were regular chapters, which they are, so I'm posting one a day. There will be two and after the dates I shall post a conclusion to those, ending this story. (I know, I'm sad, too :'( ) Thank you and enjoy.**

Carlos waited nervously in the living room. He wore a red short-sleeved T-shirt and dark-washed jeans with a pair of black converse sneakers. He hoped he was wearing something good enough for whatever they were doing, which brought him to another question: What were they doing? James hadn't said anything, so he assumed it would be a surprise.

Now, he was nervous. What if James didn't like him afterward? What if he thought Carlos was too childish? His thoughts were interrupted by the person of interest. "Hey, Carlos. Ready to go?"

Carlos jumped a little, then turned around to face him. "Huh? Oh, yeah." The taller boy was wearing an ash colored V-neck shirt that had short sleeves. He was wearing skinny jeans and some fancy name-brand sneakers that he could never remember the name of and a light jacket, the color of dark licorice.

He walked over to Carlos and held out his hand with a small grin. The smaller boy looked at it for a second before taking it hesitantly. He looked up at the taller boy and strained a smile. He couldn't force the thought of James leaving him from his mind.

James looked skeptical, but he didn't ask questions about Carlos' look.

They left the apartment and Carlos asked where they were going. James grinned in return and said, "I don't know."

The two walked down the hall casually, passing Logan and Kendall in the hall. He grinned at Carlos and gave him a thumbs up behind Kendall. The latino smirked and snorted. He felt his face grow hotter and he looked down at his feet in embarrassment. "Wow, that sounded dorky." he muttered.

"I think it's cute." James retorted, smiling warmly at him. The smaller boy looked up and returned the gesture.

"Really?" he asked shyly.

"Yes. It's very cute." Carlos felt his face grow hotter still, though it didn't show. "It's also cute that I can tell when you're blushing even if I can't see it. There's something about the way your eyes look." James gazed at them softly, almost causing them to run into an elderly lady.

They walked outside and the burst of cool air made Carlos shiver. He didn't think he'd need a jacket, since he'd most likely get used to it. But, James noticed and asked if he was cold. He simply shook his head in reply.

The taller boy led him around to see the city lights. They were only a walking distance from the sea, so the two could hear it crashing against the shore peacefully. It was a perfect night. Carlos couldn't remember a time when he had so much fun on a date.

Come to think of it, he'd never really been on a date before. He was always the awkward kid that stayed back from the crowd. He had a few friends and some of them were girls, but they usually didn't take an interest in him, nor did he think of them as more than friends.

James had taken him to a coffee shop and bought him a peppermint flavored hot chocolate. He then took him to the seaside, where he spread out a blanket and they sat together. They talked the whole time and Carlos couldn't believe it was going so well.

James laughed at his jokes and seemed to actually enjoy his company. He was stunned. They watched the waves wash against the rocks in silence. He loved the different shapes they made, it reminded him of fire. He always let his mind wander while he watched them.

Suddenly, he felt a hand on his. He winced out of surprise and turned his head to look at his date. James looked uneasy and he swallowed hard before saying something. "Carlos... Do you-" he sighed and looked down. He used his free hand to trace the designs on the blanket. "Do you still like Logan more than me?"

Carlos was stunned by this. Did he actually think that? "No. Of course not. I haven't even thought of him until you mentioned something." Something went off in his head. "Why do you think that?"

"Well, you just haven't been yourself and I was worried about you. It's okay if you still do. I understand." James withdrew his hand and continued to stare at the blanket. He was just as insecure about this date as Carlos was and that made him feel better, because that must've meant he didn't want to leave him so easily.

He took James' hand gently making him look up with confusion clearly visible. "James..." Carlos said. "The only reason I haven't been myself is that I was afraid you wouldn't like me after the date. I fall so easily, but I hate the way it feels, because no one ever catches me. You're the one who saved me when I was seconds away from cutting myself. It could've gone wrong, seriously wrong, but you showed up just in time. I know it may not mean much, but I think I love you." He was surprised that he could sound so poetic.

It felt like a huge weight had been taken off of his shoulders when he said all that had been on his mind since James had asked him to go on a date with him. James smiled reassuringly. "It means the world to me, Carlos, just like you do and... I think I love you, too." He took a deep breath, leaned forward and kissed the smaller boy's lips.

He could hardly suppress a smile when he felt a spark and loved every second of it. James lips tasted like chocolate and something else, most likely his own original taste. At first, he wasn't really sure how to, so he just sat there, though he eventually kissed back. He couldn't tell how long it was when the other boy pulled away and watched for a reaction.

"D-Did you feel anything?" he asked casually, though he couldn't mask the hope in his voice.

Carlos nodded. "What about you?"

He nodded as well. "To tell you the truth, out of all the girls I've kissed, I've never had a feeling quite as great as that." Carlos couldn't help but stare at his light brown eyes. He was very bad at telling expressions by eyes, but James' were as easy to read as a book. Every emotion the other boy had was always emphasized in his eyes. They showed an overwhelming amount of happiness, at the moment.

"You really mean that?" he asked distantly, as he was still entranced with James' eyes.

"Yeah. I really do. I've liked you for a while, ever since junior high. I never told any of the guys because I thought they'd let it slip to you and you'd hate me. I know it isn't your nature, your too sweet, but there was always that one doubt..."

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry that I didn't notice it, I'm just oblivious to... well, everything really. I'm usually daydreaming or staring off into space. It probably annoys you."

"No. I love how I can always catch your attention with one word if your staring into space. It makes me feel special. I just wish we could've been together sooner, so you wouldn't have gone through all that stuff with Logan. I know it hurts to know that he doesn't like you."

Carlos winced a little and looked down. "Y-Yeah." he decided that telling James about their kiss wouldn't be a good idea, since it meant virtually nothing to Carlos. He hadn't really thought about it since that morning, but it wasn't very special to him.

It was slightly awkward and his first thought was, _Oh my god, James is gonna walk in at any moment and he's gonna kill Logan. _He tried very hard to let the other boy know that he didn't want those lips on his own without just pushing him off. It was very strange and there was no spark. He didn't even like it.

It was kinda ironic. For a long time, those lips taunted him and he had to hold himself down so he wouldn't maul the pale boy. But, when he finally got the chance, he wished they belonged to someone else. It was so odd, he almost laughed.

James snapped him back to reality and he noticed that James _could_ bring him out of his thoughts. "Do you want to start heading back? I wish we didn't have to, but Mama Knight wants us back by 10 and it's..." he looked down at his watch. "9:40." he said looking back at Carlos.

The smaller boy nodded and they picked up the blanket. James put it back in his messenger bag and slipped his arm around the other boy's waist. They both smiled.

_~back to the apartment~_

They crept down the hall quietly, so as not to disturb anyone who was sleeping. James opened the door to their room and shut it behind them when they walked through. He wrapped both of his arms around Carlos' waist and rested their foreheads together, closing his eyes.

For a while, they just stood there. Eyes closed and just feeling each others heartbeat against their chests. Listening to the slow steady breaths and trying to make the moment last longer. Carlos opened his eyes gradually and saw James watching him with a small grin. "You're cute when you're peaceful. Like an angel."

Carlos giggled and brushed a lock of hair away from the pretty boy's face. "Oh, is that so? Well, if you like my face so much, why don't you kiss it?"

He chuckled a little. "Gladly." he leaned forward and gave him a peck on the lips. "Do you wanna sleep next to me again tonight? You know, in case you have another nightmare."

Carlos giggled. "I know you're using that as an excuse, but I like it. So, yes, I will." He smiled radiantly at the boy he loved.

**I hope that ending was cute enough and another question for you to ponder until my next chapter. How did Kendall and Logan's date go? You'll just have to read and find out. ;)**

***E.M.***


	6. Kendall and Logan

**Hello, readers. This is Kendall and Logan's side of the night, as foretold. Before I forget, in this story, big time breakup didn't happen, just to clarify. Enjoy!**

Kendall and Logan walked down one of the various hallways in the Palmwoods. They passed James and Carlos, who were holding hands, Logan gave Carlos a thumbs up behind Kendall's back. He smiled, but he was extremely nervous. He was still in amazement about how oblivious he had been.

Looking back, it was oh so obvious. Kendall practically killed himself just to do something Logan would find mildly impressive. He never attempted to hold Jo's hand or do anything romantic with her when Logan was around. He hardly acted like he cared about her and he acted the same when he broke up with her. He'd even trip over himself just to stand next to Logan while they were singing.

And then there was Carlos... Little, innocent Carlos. When Logan complimented him on his shirt being clean or something of that nature, he'd look away shyly and grin. He made an attempt to be polite and he never left Logan's side when they were hanging out. He could almost always catch the latino staring at him with a faraway look in his eyes. When Logan would ask why he was staring, the other boy would just shrug.

Looking back, they'd done everything but pour their hearts out to him at complete random. It was so easy to see, he would've believed they were intentionally trying to make it apparent. But, he knew better. They had tried their best to hide it.

"-a real date?" He heard Kendall say vaguely. Logan looked up at him and the blond had a confused look on his face.

"What?" Logan replied dumbly.

"I said, did you just want to hang out or this a real date?" he asked cautiously. No matter how hard he tried to hide it, there was still hope clearly visible in his green eyes.

He suddenly felt extremely nervous. "Uh, I-I dunno. Did you... want it to be real?"

Kendall looked at the floor quickly and blushed. "Not if you don't want to..." he mumbled.

"So, it is then?" He smiled a little when Kendall looked back at him with a disbelieving expression.

"You- Wait, what?"

Logan snickered. "Yes. It's a real date. You did kiss my cheek earlier, did you not?"

His mouth dropped open slightly. "Yeah, that was kinda stupid."

He rolled his eyes. "Well, I liked it."

The taller boy's brain kicked into overdrive at what the raven-haired boy was saying. "If I'm dreaming, don't wake me up."

Logan laughed. "So, where are we going?"

"I have no idea, I'm still in shock."

Logan's smile widened. "I know a place." he stood on his tiptoes and whispered in the blond's ear.

The other boy nodded. He looked down at the smaller one. "That sounds great."

_~later~_

Logan led the taller boy to an open area in the park, where no trees could block their view of the sky. "But, I thought there were to many lights in the city to see the stars." Kendall said looking around.

"You are correct." Logan replied, sitting down and looking up at the boy expectantly. "Are you gonna stand there or sit next to me?"

He sat down next to his date obediently. "So, why are we out here?"

Logan pointed up and the taller boy looked in that direction. The stars may not have been visual, but the moon was bright and clear as it hung high in the sky. "I come out here a lot at night. I can't see the stars, but I can see the moon and that's good enough for me."

He looked at the sky and laid back on the grass. He folded his hands behind his head and smiled. Kendall was still sitting up and watching the smaller boy, still in disbelief.

He had a lingering feeling that someone would jump out and yell "Gotcha!" Then, Logan would say that it was all just a joke. That thought made him wince. He finally followed the smaller boy's actions and laid down, folding his hands over his chest. He turned his head and swallowed hard. "Logan... why did you choose now to ask me on a date? It was just kinda out of the blue."

He took a deep breath and looked at Kendall. "I like you, too."

Kendall blinked. "Wait, so... you know that I like you?"

Logan nodded. "I really want this to work, but I'm scared. I don't want to hurt you anymore than I already have."

The taller boy smiled fondly. "You didn't hurt me and you won't. But, there is a way to find out if this can work."

Logan raised an eyebrow. "How?"

"Like this." he leaned forward and kissed Logan on the lips. The smaller boy made a noise in the back of his throat, because he was slightly surprised to feel a spark. He closed his eyes and kissed back, while happiness replaced his fear. When he pulled away, his eyes stayed closed for a few seconds longer. "Is that a good sign?" Kendall asked when Logan looked at him.

"Yeah. I felt a spark. Did you?"

Kendall sighed in relief and nodded. He hesitated before putting an arm around the pale boy. He tensed up and Logan smiled, making him release the tension. Logan snuggled up to him and set his head on the bushy-eyebrowed boy. They stayed like that for a while before noticing it was almost 10. They left the park holding hands.

**I apologize for posting this so late, but I didn't have any good ideas for this chapter. Hope you like it! R+R**

***E.M.***


	7. Conclusion

**Hello, readers. As said before, this is the conclusion to both dates and also the last chapter of this story. (Oh my cats, I'm close to tears. :'( ) It's two months after the dates, in case I confused you by the sudden time skip. But, I will write more definitely. I want to thank everybody who has read and reviewed my story, you guys rule! Enjoy!**

Carlos lay in bed in a tangle of blankets, snoring blissfully. It wasn't very loud, but it was certainly audible. James laughed as he watched the smaller boy. He was sitting on the edge of the bed. A cold chill hit him and he noticed that he was wearing only a pair of boxers.

He stood up and walked across the room to his dresser. He pulled out a random combination of clothes and pulled them on. Quietly, he returned to Carlos' side and shook his shoulder gently. "Hey, Carlos, time to wake up."

The latino's dark brown eyes fluttered open and he resembled a toddler, it made James' heart skip a beat. "Wha?" he asked groggily rubbing his eyes.

The taller boy smiled and kissed him on the cheek. "It's 10, time to wake up."

Carlos yawned and sat up. "Okay. How long have you been up?"

"Somewhere around 30 minutes."

Carlos sighed and leaned against James. "Meh. My brain won't awaken."

James put his arm around the younger boy and pulled him to his feet. They stood there for a few seconds, before the latter looked up. The brunette walked over to his drawer again and pulled out a T-shirt and once again his lucky shorts. He handed then to Carlos and the boy put them on happily.

James wrapped his arm around the tired boy's waist and kissed his forehead. "Happy 2 month anniversary, baby."

Carlos giggled. "Happy anniversary."

They left the room with James' arm still around the other boy's waist. Once they got into the kitchen, they noticed Logan and Kendall fighting with pancake batter. Logan had some on his nose and cheek, while Kendall had some splattered in his hair and large, bushy eyebrows. "Logan!" the blonde whined.

"Hey, you started it." Logan replied sticking his tongue out. The two boys apparently hadn't noticed Carlos and James standing in the doorway with grins on their faces.

Kendall pulled the raven-haired boy closer, earning a small squeak from him. "Well, I'm gonna end it." He kissed the Logan's nose and then hesitating before kissing his lips.

An idea popped into Carlos' mind. "Get a room!" he called playfully and the two jumped apart. Carlos and James laughed and the other boys stared at them in mild annoyance.

"Seriously? Was that necessary?" Logan asked.

Kendall slung an arm around Logan's shoulder. "Yeah. We were making breakfast."

James led Carlos to the table and they sat down. "Really?" James snickered. "It looked like you were having a pancake fight."

Logan pointed an accusatory finger at Kendall. "He got it on my nose, thus declaring war."

Kendall gave the pale boy a quick peck on the side of his head. "Yeah, but you love me." he said with a goofy smile.

Logan rolled his eyes. "You're ridiculous." He walked back to the stove where a pancake was cooking and he flipped it so the gooey side wasn't showing. There was a towering stack of pancakes beside the boy, which he noticed and brought over to the table.

"I can't believe you two have been dating for two months." Logan said patting both boys on the head.

Carlos looked at James and took his hand. "Neither can we." A thought dawned on him. "Wait, haven't you two been dating for two months, too?"

Logan stood there for a second, no doubt adding up the days. "Yeah." he said slowly. "I remember because you guys went on your first official date on the same day as us."

"Well," Kendall said. "if one of us forget our anniversary, someone has to know." he chuckled.

All four boys couldn't have been happier.

**Okay, I had no clue how to end this, so sorry for the crappy ending. Well, I hope you guys liked my first story and thanks again for being so supportive! Count on reading Cargan from me sometime soon.**

***E.M.***


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